Page 46 of Moon Cursed

Paxton caught my flailing ankle and hooked my leg around his waist. He lifted me up, pressed his middle to mine, andgroundhis parts in deep—shooting my eyebrows off my forehead and out the window.

I was gone.

Throwing my arms around his neck, I gave in to the sloppiest, weirdest, hottest kiss anyone on the planet had ever given the girl they were clumsily seducing. We rolled across the floor with Paxton growling and biting me like he was truly trying to eat me up.

I might’ve been more worried about that if the shockingly impressive ridge between his legs wasn’t grinding up on a particularly interesting spot.

The bond was truly broken between us, because if it wasn’t, he’d have already ripped off my clothes and taken me right there on the mess hall floor, and I would’ve let him.

“What on earth is going on here!”

Strong hands peeled me off of him. Ash and Orion held tight to Paxton’s arms and shoulders, holding him back as he fought and strained to get back on me.

“Enough!”

The alpha command rocked Paxton to the core, chasing his wolf back down from where he came. His yellowed eyes and claws vanished as he bolted upright—still and blank like a mannequin.

Ash spun on me. “What do you think you’re doing? Is it too much to ask for a shred of decorum from the woman who purports herself to be the headmistress of this school!”

I hastily straightened myself up, face on fire. Nia just sat there watching me with huge eyes.Everyonesat there staring at me. First to watch me get off with the guy I publicly dumped, and now to watch me get told off by my employee like I was a naughty little schoolchild.

And if the entire school looking at me wasn’t enough, my embarrassment was compounded by the no less than ten secret police officers filing into the room—clearly on Ash’s trail.

Do something,I shouted at myself.Get control of the situation.

I cleared my throat, putting on as serious a face as I could when my lips were swollen and my shirt was ripped. “Excuse me, everyone, I didn’t mean to interrupt your breakfast, but this does bring up a good question for us all to discuss tonight at the open forum. Early Morning Mess Hall Sex Shows: Yay or Nay?”

Everyone cracked up, popping the tension like a balloon. A balloon as red as Ash’s darkening face.

“That is not funny,” she shrieked. “We will not be discussing any such thing and—and what are you talking about? What open forum?”

“Why don’t we talk about that in my office?” I offered—nothing but calm against her irate. “After you release Paxton. You must not have heard, but alpha commands are forbidden in this school. No one has the right to control someone else, even if they have the power.”

Ash sniffed, lifting her chin. “I was only preventing Mr. Clarke from doing himself an injury, but of course, he isfree to go,” she said, snapping Paxton out of it. “I suggest you get yourself cleaned up and off to class. The demerit system is back and fully enforced. I would hate for tardiness to put another black mark in your book.”

“Another?” Paxton repeated, rubbing his head. He’d looked both hungover and drunk at the same time.

“You may count this display as your first.”

She spoke to him, but looked at me. I didn’t have to wonder what she was doing. I made her look silly by pretending our make-out session was nothing, so she pulled a power play by reinstituting the demerits and giving Paxton one.

“He won’t need another, Vice Headmistress.” Orion grabbed Paxton’s shoulder, turning him away. “I’ll help him, and make sure nothing like this happens again.”

Again, Orion spoke to one person, but looked at me.

I watched stiffly as he led a stumbly Paxton away, whispering in his ear.

***

THAT NIGHT, I HEARDthe students filing into the auditorium for the second time in two days.

I heard it, not saw it, because I was busy backstage with Edric, cursing and fighting with the sound system. Behind us, Ash looked on with those unsettling owl eyes, forcing us to keep our conversation internal.

“Are you sure this is going to work?”

“I’m sure,” Edric replied, fussing with tangled cords. “You want to show the alphas—all the alphas—that you mean business? This is the way. A show of force doesn’t always require violence.”

“My alpha voice killer is the definition of nonviolent warfare. I still don’t understand why you’re not proud of me for coming up with that one. You’re the one who keeps saying I’ve got to stop killing everyone.”

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